The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-20
MR.. GRADY'S SPEECH
On the Effects of Prohibition in
Atlanta.
THE SPEECH IN IT'S ENTIRETY.

Zion In Atlanta, was delivered in Atlanta,
Ca, Thursday evening, November Sd, 1887,
before an immense audience assembled in the
large warehouse of Kelly, Rosser & Co.
United States Senator A. H. Colquitt was
the first speaker, and when he sat down the
sadience began to call for Mr.. Grady, and he
was escorted to the stand by Messrs. w. T.
Turnbull and Hooper Alexander amid deafen-
ang applause. Just at that moment by happy
inspiration, the band struck up the air Of
s'Dixie," and the people were wild with de-
light.
Mr.. Grady spoke as follows:
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
aake it for granted that Atlanta is in earnest to.
night am informed that there is ten-cent cir
Gus, dog show, drama, and two patent medicine
shows in the city, any one of which would rather
be attending than here listening to myself talk.
TLaughter.1 Your presence here convinces me that
you have determined to put aside pleasure tonight
for business. [Applause.l Will you pardon me
now, one word of personal explanation? I alone
am responsible for what say here tonight 1 have
not attended prohibition meeting and I am not
acquainted with the details or theory of prohibit
ton campaign. My views on high license are well
understood They prevented me from active
participation in the last campaign, and made me
slow to reach an opinion in this but have reached
that opinion in sincerity, and you shall have it in
ftankness [Applause.l One word more. 1 have
no personal ambition I have no political ambi-
ton, but were consumed with it, and did live to
see its swift and perfect friton, should still de-
spise myself if had put your generous enthusiasm
70 its use tonight, or had shirked my duty that
might further it.
Ispeak with but one object. More concerned am
] that having always fought with Atlanta united,
appear tonight to be with the faction. But my
heart is whole for her and speak in love of her
without enmity to one human being, as far as
know, within her limits. [Applause.l I utter
conviction so profound and deliberate that to leave
1t uuexpressed were as cowardly as to deny it when
questioned on 1t.
Now shall speak in perfect good humor, criticiz-
ing no mans action and impugning no mans mo-
tive. Atlanta has serious problem to settle. If
abe reaches its conclusion in and bitterness
Bhe will suffer- and this cause will suffer, matter
which side may triumph. If she reaches it soberly,
thoughtfully and deliberately, her people, honest,
Intelligent and reunited in her service will enfore
-FOUR victory if you win it, and mitigate the evils
you fear if the opposition should win. [Applause.l
have but two points to make tonight 1 want to
make them with such conference IS can command,
and beg your patience and attention.
believe that prohibition should be tried for two
years longer.
First because it has not had full and fair trial.
Second because this trial, imperfect and brief as
It has been, is demonstrabe success. Applause
In discussing these two points Ishall not attempt
20 comprehend the general principles of prohibition
FOR indeed to commit myself to it. We are wisely
left under our local option law to settle this CUES
ton tor ourselves. Ispeak tonight about Atlanta
to Atantians, about an experiment that is given u.s.
1t may be of God, to settle; and am sure that if
can show you 1t has not had fair trial and that its
imperfect trial has proved successful, that Mr..
Jefferson DaYis-for he knows that personal liberty
ends where public injury begins-even would say,
s1et this trial be extended for the good it has
wrought among the people 1 love" Applause
The basic principle of government is, and has been
since the lowly Nazartne walked this earth, "the
greatest good to the greatest number"
Now, has prohibition had fair trial in Atlanta?
ICries of no, mol 1t was passed by bare majority
1t was two months before that majority was legally
declared there were licenses extending about ten
months nearly one-haf of its probation there was
Organized resistance to its enforcement every step
that was taken was experimental there was not
door closed nor fine entered and collected except
BY slow process of law. Every defense was ex-
hausted and the cause had to fight with new ma
Ohinery, with undsciplined forces, and with half
of its time consumed with unexpired licenses.
have heard many men say-anti-p rohibitionists-
ST would give half am worth if prohibition would
xeally prohibit" Is there any fairmnded business
$nan who would commit himself to q business ven
fure involving half he was worth and would aban-
don that venture at the close of such trial pro
bibition has had, and say "it won't work?' Is
there any business man who would do that in his
bwn business? Is there any business man
who hears me tonight who believes in the full
sense demanded by the importance of the sub
ject, that prohibition has had fair trial in Atlanta?
am satisfied that there is not one. Ithas barely be-
gun its work. 1t has barely established the first
premise of the grand demonstration to which be-
lieve, in Gods mercy it is committed. And yet you
talk about stopping it here because it has been
proved that prohibition won't prohibit If it has
not had fair trial, ought we not to give it longer
trial? Was there ever city charged with SO ire
mendous problem as this3 Whether or not it is
better for men in large cities to live under prohibit
ton; whether it is possible that in large cities
may reap the undeniable advantages of the prohl-
btion of the liquor traffic. it is not too much to say
America waits on the answer Atlanta shall give to
this question. lApplGuse.l 1t is not too much to
say that if we abandon it tonight, cowardly aban-
don it tonight, there will not be found American
city brave enough to take 1t up where we leave off
But if we carry it through two years longer and de-
onstrate its success think of the harvest that will
be reaped by American cities under American
TOMS and whose hearts beat true to American nsti-
fntions. know there cities where it is imprec-
ficable but thank God Atlanta is not one of them.
Chicago will lack seven heads of being much
that way after the 10th OF this month. Applause
In insisting that prohibition has not had a fair
trial do not mean to beg the second proposition
laid down, namely, that it has been demonstrable
SUCCESS If there is q here tonight who has not
the fairness and the unproj ldiced mind that VIII
lead him to give an important question full trial
is there a man who will abandon this experiment
when it can be shown that working even imperfect
ly, It has worked unspeakable good?
commit myself to that word with perfect fear
sessness. say "unspeakable" good If talk until
my tongue loses its power of articulation, l could
not give you one half Of the instances Of good that
have been put in my hands by kind friends this
evening will hastily class a few, none of which
will fall to prove significant.
When you go to get the effect Of a new movement
FOR good or evil, where do you go2 Not to the rich
and idle, because you may swell or diminish their
Income and yet not change their habits you simply
diminish the hidden surplus, No to tho middle
class, because when you diminish their income they
simply pinch themselves and pinch so quietly that
their neighbors do not know it, swell their in
comes and they loosen out:a little and pass some
thing up to surplus You cannot tell it there, but
70 to the poorer casses the men who labor for their
daily bread, and whose wages barely suffice TO give
Il 20 them, and there you find the first signs of
good or evil movement 1t is at once the truth and
feproach of our civilization that starvation follows
no o Csc on labor that an evil movement Is detected
in the hollow cheeks Of little children and the bag
gard faces Of women before it is made manifest to
Abe higher classes.
Letmc show you some facts-my facts-they always
come out remember that, ilaughterl they have been
1Gu ,hed at good DEAL but they always get there.
Applause When you want TO discover the effect
oft+